Electric windshield heater



y 31, 1932- M. ZAIGER ET AL 1,861,041

ELECTRIC WINDSHIELD HEATER Filed June 22, 1931 Fig.1.

, five 01's 1m Za 8 Z ozziszaiger Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE m ZAIGER, OF SWAMPSCOTT, AND LOUIS ZAIGEB; OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC wnmsnrnm) HEATER Application filed June 22,

This invention relates to electric windshield heaters, and it has for one of its objects to provide a heater that is equipped with a switchat the heater element by which I the heating current may be turned'on or oil. The device comprises a housing member open on one side and having a general channel shape incross section, means for attaching said housing to the windshield of the automobile, a heating coil located within the housing, circuit wires forming part of the circuit by which electricity is supplied to the coil, and a switch device mounted on the housing for opening and closing the heating circult.

With our invention the circuit wires leading to the heating coil may be permanently attached to the battery or other source of electricity, and the heating coil may be rendered operative or inoperative simply by manipulating the switch carried by the housing.

In order to give an understanding of our invention, we have illustrated in the drawings an embodiment which will now be described after which the novel features will be ointed out in the appended claims.

ig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of the front portion of a windshield looking from the inside and illustrating our improved heater appliedto the windshield.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the windshield heater looking toward the open side, a

portion being broken out,

Fig. 3 is a section of the line 3-3 Figure 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are detailed views showing difierent embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 6 is a section of the line (F-6 Figure 3.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the windshield heater embodying the invention.

The improved heater is of the type which comprises a housing member, 1, open on one side and having a channel shape in cross section and within which is located the heating coil, 2. This housing member, 1, is preferably made of metal and may be conveniently stamped into shape from a properly formed blank.

Any suitable means may be employed for attaching the housing to the windshield, 30.

1931. Serial No. 546,008.

As herein shown the said housing has a suc tion cup, 3, at each end. These suction cups are commonly used for attaching different articles to glass or other smooth surfaces, and they are usually made of rubber orsome similar flexible material.

The heating coil, 2, is secured at one end to -a terminal post, 4, with which the housing 1 is provided and by means of an non-insulated joint. At the other end the coil is secured to an insulated terminal post, 5, which is carried by the housing member, 1, and is insulated therefrom. 6 and 7 indicate two circuit wires forming a part of the circuit by which the heating coil is supplied withelectricity. These circuit wires may be attached to the battery terminals of the automobile or to any other terminals from which current supplied by the battery may be taken. One circuit wire 6 is secured to the housing memher 1, with a non-insulated connection, while the other circuit wire 7, is connected to the housing with an insulated connection. As herein shown the non-insulated connection between the circuit wire 6 and the housing 1 may be made by connecting said circuit wire to the housing through the medium of a tubular rivet 28. The insulated connection between the housing 1 and the circuit wire 7 is herein formed by providing the housing with a terminal post 8, which is suitably insulated from the housing and then connecting the wire 7 to the insulated post 8.

The switch for opening and closing the heating circuit comprises a switch contact 10 which is pivotally mounted on the insulated terminal post 8. and is electrically connected with the circuit wire 7. This switch contact 10 is adapted to be moved .into and out of engagement with the insulated post terminal 5 as indicated by the full and dotted line position in Figure 7. The switch arm 10 is formed with a finger piece 11 of insulating material so that the switch may be readily manipulated without danger that the persondoing so will receive a shock.

With the construction above described, the a housing 1 constitutes part of the circuit. In wiring up the device the circuit wire 7 which leads to the switch arm 10 will preferably be connected either directly or indirectly to the positive pole of the battery, and the circuit wire 6 may be grounded on any suitable part of the automobile frame. When the switch arm is closed on to the contact the circuit includes the circuit wire, 7 switch 10, insulated post 5, coil 2, housing 1, and circuit wire 6. a

By having the switch for controlling the heating circuit located directly on the housing, the heating coil may be rendered operative or'inoperative by the simple act of shifting the position of the switch arm 10, and without the necessity of connecting or disconnecting any wires. V

The insulated post 5 to which one end of the coil 2 is connected, is illustrated as tubular and the switch 10 is provided with a protuberance 20, which snaps into the open end of the post 5 when the switch is closed.

The switch is so designed that in order to seat the protuberance in the open end of the post 5, said switch has to be flexed slightly, and the'resiliency of the switch will tend to make the protuberance snap into the open end of the post when the switch is closed thereby frictionally'holding the switch in its closed relation.

The upper leg 21 of the channel shaped housing 1, is slightly shorter than the lower leg 22, thereby allowing a free space between the edge of the shorter leg 21 and the windshield glass for air which is heated by the COll to rise freely. and flow upwardly over the I windshield.

The lower leg 22 of the housing is preferably provided with openings23 to allow air to. enter the housing to take the place of the heated air which flows upward along the windshield. v

. The suction cups 3 may be secured to the housing in different ways without departing from the invention. According toone construction the housing is formed with a forked ear, 12, at each end and each suction cup is provided with a projection, 17. having a groove, 18, to receive the arms of the fork.

In another construction the housing is provided with ears 15, formed with apertures 16. ,Each suction cup is formed with a tapered projection 17. and with an annular groove 18 at the base of the projection. The diameter of each projection 17 at its smaller and is slightly less than that of the aperture 16, but the diameter of each projection immediately above the groove 18 is slightly larger than the aperture 16. Because of the resiliency of the rubber of which the suction cups are made the tapered projection 17 can be forced through the aperture 16 until the ear becomes seated inthe groove 18.

The use of these suction cups permits the heater to be secured to the windshield in any desired location and they serve to firmly hold it in position.

the glass,

not only in cold weather for preventing ice and sleet from freezing on the windshield,

but is also useful in dam or rainy weather when the temperature 1s above freezing. When the heater is in use it heats the windshield glass thus assisting in keeping the glass fromfogging up, and also in drying and thus keeping it clear even though a windshield wiper isnot used for this purpose.

While some embodiments of the invention are herein shown, yet the invention is not limited to the constructional features illustrated.

We claim 1. An electric windshield heater comprising an open-sided, channel shaped housing of conducting material, the flanges of the channel being of relatively different widths,

means to attach said housing to the windshield with the wider of the flanges below the narrower flange, and slightly spaced from the windshield, a heating coil in the housing, two attachment terminals by which the coil is connected at its ends to the housing, one terminal being a non-insulated terminal and the other being an insulated terminal by which said end of the coil is insulated from the housing, circuit wires forming part of the circuit by which the coil is connected to a source of electricity, one circuit wire being connected directly to the housing with a noninsulated connection and the other being con nected to the housing but insulated therefrom, and a circuit maker and breaker carried by the housing intermediate the upper and lower flanges thereof and adapted to connect the latter wire to the insulated attachment terminal.

2. An electric windshield heater comprising an open-sided, channel shaped housin member, the flanges of the channel being 0% relatively different widths, said member having an ear projecting from each end, each I ear having an aperture, a heatin coil within the housing, a suction cup at eac end of the housing for attachin it to the windshield, said cups and ears being so positioned relative to the body of the housing member as to position the wider of the flanges below the narrower-of the flan es and in slightly spaced relation to the Winfshield, each suction cup having a tapered projection integral therewith. and provided with a groove at the base thereof, the smaller end of the projection being slightly smaller than the aperture in the ears and the larger end being slightly larger than said aperture, whereby theproje'ction may be forced through the aperture until the ear becomes seated in the groove,

said projection formin insulated handles by which the heater maybe manipulated.

3. An electric windshield heater comprising an open-sided, channel-shaped housing member, the flanges of the channel being of relatively difierent widths, said member having an ear projecting from each end, each ear having an aperture, a heating coil within the housing, a suction cup at each end of the housing for attaching it to the windshield, said cups and ears being so positioned relative to the body of the housing member as to position the wider of the flanges below the narrower of the flanges and in slightly spaced relation to the windshield, each suction cup having a tapered projection integral therewith and provided with a groove at the base thereof, the smaller end of the projection being slightly smaller than the aperture in the ears and the larger end being slightly larger than said aperture, whereby the projection may be 1 forced through the aperture until the car becomes seated in the groove, said projection forming insulated handles by which the heater may be manipulated, and circuit connections, for connecting the coil to a source of electric energy, having terminals on said housing member, andv a circuit maker and breaker carried by thehousing intermediate the upper and lower flanges thereof.

4. An electric windshield heater comprising an open-sided, channel-shaped housing of conducting material, the flanges of the channel being of relatively different widths, means to attach said housing to the windshield with the wider of the flanges below the narrower flange, and slightly spaced from the windshield, a heating coil in the housing, two attachment terminals by which the coil is connected at its ends to the housing, said housing being de-formed at the terminal mountings thereby to space the coil from the wall of the housing, one terminal being a non-insulated terminal and the Other being an insulated terminal by which said end of the coil is insulated from the housing, circuit wires forming part of the circuit by which the coil is connected to a source of electricity, one circuit wire being connected directly to the housing with anon-insulated connection and the other being connected to the housing but insulated therefrom, said housing being further de-formed at the points of connection of the circuit wire connections thereby to space such terminals from the heating coil, and a circuit maker and breaker carried by the housing intermediate the upper and low- ,er flanges thereof and adapted to connect the latter wire to the insulated attachment terminal.

5. An electric windshield heater comprising an open-sided, channel-shaped housing ofconducting material, the flanges of the channel being of relatively different widths, means to attach said housing to the windshield with the wider of the flanges below the 'narrower flange, the bottom of the housing being formed with an opening therethrough for the admission of air, a heating coil in the housing, two attachment terminals by which the coil is connected at its ends to the hous-. ing, one terminal being a non-insulated terminal and the other being an insulated terminal by which said end of the coil is insulated from the housing, circuit wires forming part of the circuit by which the coil is connected to a source of electricity, one circuit wire being connected directly to the housing with a non-insulated connection and the other being connected to the housing but insulated therefrom, and a circuit maker and breaker carried by the housing intermediate the upper and lower flanges thereof and adapted to connect the latter wire to the insulated attachment terminal.

6. In an electric windshield heater comprising an open-sided channel-shaped housing of conducting material having flanges of relatively difi'erent effective widths, means for attaching said housing to a windshield with the flanges spaced apart from the windshield, a heating coil within said housing and extending longitudinally thereof, coil-supporting members extending inwardly from said housing located adjacent the respective ends thereof, one of which is electrically connected to said housing and heating coil and the other of which is connected to said heating coil and extends therethrough and insulated therefrom to provide a terminal for a circuit wire, a terminal for the other circuit wire mounted in said housing adjacent to the insulated terminal, and circuit making and breaking means operable selectively to complete an electric circuit throu b said housing and heating coil or to brea said circuit.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

MAX ZAIGER. LOUIS ZAIGER. 

